The 2025 December Auction - Sale 346 (December 13 - December 16, 2025)
Sale 346
- PRC (800) Apply PRC filter
- All China (700) Apply All China filter
- Banknotes (618) Apply Banknotes filter
- Hong Kong (357) Apply Hong Kong filter
- Coins and Medals (321) Apply Coins and Medals filter
- Macau (278) Apply Macau filter
- Imperial Post (240) Apply Imperial Post filter
- Taiwan (175) Apply Taiwan filter
- Worldwide (88) Apply Worldwide filter
- 1912-1949 ROC (67) Apply 1912-1949 ROC filter
- Foreign PO in China (31) Apply Foreign PO in China filter
- Local Post (22) Apply Local Post filter
- Liberated Area (8) Apply Liberated Area filter
- Customs Post (5) Apply Customs Post filter
- Japan (4) Apply Japan filter
- Asia (3) Apply Asia filter
- Literature (2) Apply Literature filter
- Historical Postcards and Real Photos (376) Apply Historical Postcards and Real Photos filter
- Hong Kong, China & Worldwide Coins and Banknotes (939) Apply Hong Kong, China & Worldwide Coins and Banknotes filter
- Internet Auction (217) Apply Internet Auction filter
- Mizuhara’s Collection of Classic Taiwan Stamps and Postal History (118) Apply Mizuhara’s Collection of Classic Taiwan Stamps and Postal History filter
- Mr. Rambo Chiu’s Collection of PRC Cultural Revolution Period Covers and Postcards (IV) (95) Apply Mr. Rambo Chiu’s Collection of PRC Cultural Revolution Period Covers and Postcards (IV) filter
- The General Sale (1261) Apply The General Sale filter
- The International Airmails of PRC (1949-1956) (104) Apply The International Airmails of PRC (1949-1956) filter
- The People’s Republic of China & Liberated Areas Stamps and Postal History (601) Apply The People’s Republic of China & Liberated Areas Stamps and Postal History filter
these two covers, sent from Peking and Shanghai respectively, are both prepaid at the standard 13,000 yuan rate for 10g to “Other Countries,” defined in this period as non-Asian and non-European destinations. The first, posted 17 August 1950 from Peking to Washington, D.C., is franked with three stamps for 13,000 yuan, tied by “Peking 50.8.17” cds. Sent on the second day of the new tariff period, this cover is a rare early example showing prompt adoption of the revised rates. It was routed via Hong Kong and carried by Pan American Airways (PAA) transpacific service to the United States. The second, posted 18 August 1950 from Shanghai to Pasadena, California, is similarly franked with four stamps for 13,000 yuan, tied by “Shanghai 50.8.18” cds. Posted on the third day of the new period, it followed the same route via Hong Kong for onward transmission by PAA to the U.S. Both covers are exemplary early usages under the 5th Postal Tariff Period, showing accurate franking, correct routing, and the smooth adaptation of the new rate system by the PRC postal service. Early examples of correctly rated airmail to USA from this period are particularly scarce and of strong postal history and exhibition significance.
airmail cover sent from Foochow, Fukien to Nibong Tebal, Province Wellesley, Malaya, franked with twelve R series issues totaling 9,000 yuan (RMB), tied by “Foochow 50.9.14” cds. The mail was routed via Hong Kong and carried onward to Malaya by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) on its Manila-Singapore route. This cover was posted during the Fifth Postal Tariff Period (16 August - 31 October 1950) under the unified RMB postal system. At that time, the airmail surcharge for Asian destinations was reduced from 7,200 yuan to 6,500 yuan per 10 grams, while the international surface letter rate for the first 20 grams remained at 2,500 yuan, resulting in a correct total postage of 9,000 yuan. The franking and calculation are completely accurate, with clear postal markings and excellent preservation. It represents a typical and correct example of early PRC airmail to Southeast Asia, demonstrating the practical implementation of the newly adjusted RMB postal rates. This cover also highlights the vital role of Hong Kong as an international postal transit hub during the early years of the People’s Republic of China. A scarce and historically important postal history item, it offers valuable insight into the development of early PRC airmail connections with Southeast Asia, highly suitable for both research and exhibition.
airmail cover sent from Changlo, Fukien Province to Singapore, franked with six R series issues, totaling 9,000 yuan (RMB), tied by “Changlo 1950.9.15” cds. The cover was transited via Foochow on 16 September, then forwarded through Hong Kong for air conveyance to Singapore. The recipient annotated arrival on 5 October 1950. Posted during the Fifth Postal Tariff Period (16 August - 31 October 1950) under the unified RMB postal system, this cover bears the correct postage rate: international surface letter for the first 20 grams 2,500 yuan, plus airmail surcharge to Asia 6,500 yuan per 10 grams, totaling 9,000 yuan. The postage is accurately calculated, with all markings crisp and the cover in fine preservation. As one of the properly rated airmail letters to Southeast Asia during this short-lived 77-day Fifth Postal Tariff Period, it exemplifies the practical operation of the newly standardized RMB postal system. The routing via Hong Kong further highlights the vital role of Hong Kong as the primary airmail transit hub for early PRC international correspondence. A scarce and important example of early People’s Republic of China airmail correspondence to Southeast Asia, of great significance for postal history study and exhibition.
this pair of covers illustrates registered airmail correspondence to Southeast Asia during the PRC’s 6th Postal Tariff Period, each correctly franked at 10,900 yuan, comprising 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of surface postage, 4,200 yuan for the 10g airmail surcharge to Asia, and 4,200 yuan for the registration fee. The first cover, dated 1 February 1951, was sent from Meihsien, Kwangtung to Seremban, Malaysia via Hong Kong, while the second, dated 13 November 1952, originated from Fengting, Fukien to Singapore, also routed through Hong Kong, likely carried by BOAC flights. Both were mailed from 2nd- and 3rd-class post offices, reflecting the accessibility of registered airmail services even in regional towns. These two covers demonstrate the accurate application of the 10,900 yuan registered airmail rate to Asia and serve as fine postal evidence of the close communication between China and the overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia during the early 1950s.
the cover is franked with a combination of two S series issues and four stamps for a set of the first airmail series issued on May 1, 1950, totaling 39,800 yuan (Old RMB). The postage comprised 2,500 yuan for the first 20g international letter rate, 1,500 yuan for the additional 20g, and an air surcharge of 10,500 yuan per 10g for three segments, with a small overpayment of 100 yuan. The cover was mailed from Shanghai on October 7, transited through Canton on October 10, and was forwarded via Hong Kong by Pan American Airways (PAA) to Newark, New Jersey, arriving between October 15–16. It bears all four values of the first airmail issue, including the high denomination 30,000-yuan stamp, which is particularly scarce and represents the most distinctive and seldom-seen value of the set. This cover stands as a rare and significant example of an early PRC registered airmail to USA, notable for its accurate franking, clear postal markings, and connection to an important philatelic figure. It holds exceptional postal history and exhibition value.
this group of five covers illustrates international airmail correspondence to Southeast Asia during 6th Postal Tariff Period, each correctly franked at 6,700 yuan, comprising 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of surface postage and 4,200 yuan for the 10g airmail surcharge to Asia. This rate, implemented on 1 November 1950, represented a significant reduction from the previous 9,000-yuan standard and reflected the early stabilization of the PRC’s postal system. The covers were dispatched from Fukien (Kaosanshih, Minhow, Panghi), Canton, and Peking, and were addressed to Indonesia (Surabaya and Semarang), Singapore, and Nibong Tebal, Malaya. Several were sent from small village postal agencies or third-class post offices, showing the penetration of postal services into rural areas. All were routed via Foochow or Canton for onward air transmission through Hong Kong, typically carried by BOAC. The correct franking and consistent cancellations demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of postal handling under the new rate system. Collectively, these covers exemplify the fully prepaid 6,700-yuan Asian airmail rate of the 6th Postal Tariff Period and provide valuable postal evidence of China’s reconstruction of its international airmail network in the early 1950s.
airmail cover sent from Mawanchang to Kuala Belait, franked with ten C and R series issues, totaling 9,000 yuan (RMB), tied by “Mawanchang 16.11.52” cds and with transit markings of Wuhan (18.11.52), Canton (22.11.52), Jesselton (26.11.52) and “Kuala Belait 29.11.52” arrival. The cover was posted during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (November 1, 1950 - April 30, 1953), when the correct inclusive rate for a 10-gram airmail letter to Asia was 6,700 yuan, composed of 2,500 yuan for the first 20 grams of international surface postage plus 4,200 yuan for the airmail surcharge per 10 grams. However, it was incorrectly franked at 9,000 yuan, following the outdated 5th Postal Tariff Period rate (2,500 + 6,500 yuan), thus overpaying by 2,300 yuan. As Mawanchang was a small local postal agency in an inland region, postal clerks were likely unfamiliar with the revised airmail tariff and therefore continued to apply the previous rate. This cover is an exceptionally rare example of international airmail originating from inland China, carried through a route: Manwanchang - Wuhan - Canton - Hong Kong - Jesselton (British North Borneo) - Seria - Kuala Belait (Brunei). The cover demonstrates the gradual adaptation of inland postal offices to the People’s Post unified postal tariff system in the early years of the PRC. Despite the postage error, the franking is complete, the route well-documented, and the markings are crisp and legible. This item serves as an important postal history artifact, illustrating both the administrative challenges and operational realities of postal modernization in the early 1950s, and is of significant philatelic and exhibition value.
Posted on 6 December 1952 from Puning, Kwangtung to Bukit Mertajam, Malaya, this 16g registered airmail cover was franked with thirteen R series issues, totaling 19,700 yuan. The correct rate under the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953) should have been 15,100 yuan, comprising 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of surface postage, 8,400 yuan for the Asian airmail surcharge (4,200 yuan × 2), and 4,200 yuan for registration, thus overpaid by 4,600 yuan due to use of outdated rate calculations from the previous tariff period. The cover bears “Puning 1952.12.6” cds and a “16g” pencil marking by the postal clerk. The addressee’s town name “Bukit Mertajam” was later added in red by the post office, likely after considerable effort to identify the correct destination. The cover was routed via Canton on 14 December and forwarded through Hong Kong by air, finally delivered on 12 January 1953.
Posted from a postal kiosk at a long-distance bus station, this cover exemplifies occasional postal accounting errors made by small rural post offices during the early PRC postal reform era. A highly instructive and scarce postal history example of overfranking due to misapplied rates during the 6th Postal Tariff Period.
airmail cover sent from Hweili to Portland, Maine, franked with Liberated Area definitive stamps x 13, totaling 13,000 yuan, tied by clear “Hweili 50.12.14” cds, with routing via Chungking (arrival 22 December), Canton & Hong Kong, and onward carriage to USA. The postage fully prepaid the correct inclusive rate for a 10g airmail letter to “Other Countries” during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953): 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of international surface postage plus 10,500 yuan per 10g airmail surcharge. Originating from a 3rd-class inland post office in the remote frontier of Sikang Province, this cover exemplifies the early postal reach of the PRC into underdeveloped southwestern regions. Despite its isolated origin, the letter was correctly rated, properly routed, and efficiently handled through multiple transit points, reflecting the rapid consolidation and reliability of China’s postal network during the formative years of the RMB postal system. A scarce and historically significant early PRC airmail cover from the country’s western hinterland, illustrating both administrative accuracy and geographical connectivity in the early 1950s.
airmail cover sent from Manchonghu, Kwangtung to San Francisco, franked with R series issues x 17, totaling 13,000 yuan (RMB), tied by Manchonghu cds, with Manlokshi and Canton transit on reverse. The mail was routed through Hong Kong and carried by Pan American Airways (PAA) on its FAM 14 trans-Pacific route to San Francisco. The recipient noted arrival on 27 April (Lunar calendar: 14th day of the 3rd month), showing a total transit time of only eight days - an impressive example of early PRC airmail efficiency. Posted during the Sixth Postal Tariff Period under the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), this cover correctly paid 2,500 yuan for the first 20 grams of international surface postage plus 10,500 yuan airmail surcharge to “Other Countries,” totaling 13,000 yuan. This was the standard international airmail rate established after the unification of China’s currency, and all mail destined for non-Asian countries was charged at this “Other Countries” rate, with most items routed via Hong Kong for onward dispatch. Originating from the third-class postal agency at Manchonghu and forwarded via Manlokshi to Canton, this cover illustrates the coordinated operation of the grassroots postal network within the unified RMB postal system. With accurate franking, complete routing, and full postal markings, it represents a rare and significant example of early PRC airmail to the United States, of great importance for postal history research and exhibition.
registered airmail cover sent from Shanghai to New York, franked with three R series and five East China regional overprinted issues, totaling 84,700 yuan (RMB), tied by “Shanghai 50.11.2” cds with red registration label “Shanghai Fukchow Road P.O. No.11502” on front, and “Canton 50.11.5” transit and “NEW YORK CHURCH ST. 11.10.1950” arrival on reverse. The cover was routed via Canton and Hong Kong, and carried by Pan American Airways (PAA) on its FAM 14 trans-Pacific service to the United States. Posted during the Sixth Postal Tariff Period under the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), mailed on the second day of the new rate period. The postage was correctly paid for a 70-gram registered airmail letter, consisting of 2,500 yuan for the first 20g, 1,500 yuan × 3 = 4,500 yuan for the next 50g, an airmail surcharge to “Other Countries” of 10,500 yuan × 7 = 73,500 yuan, and a registration fee of 4,200 yuan, totaling 84,700 yuan. This cover represents a textbook example of a correctly rated heavyweight registered airmail sent immediately after the unification of the RMB postal currency. It demonstrates accurate postage calculation, clear postal routing, and the operational efficiency of early PRC airmail via Hong Kong on the FAM 14 Pacific route. A rare and significant postal history item illustrating the functioning of China’s international postal system during the formative stage of the RMB postal tariff period, of great value for research and exhibition.
two postal items sent to Eastern Europe during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), both correctly rated and transmitted via the Moscow-Prague route. The first, a 10g airmail cover from Shanghai to Unterperlitz, East Germany, dated 27 February 1951, is franked to the inclusive rate of 9,000 yuan (2,500 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter postage plus 6,500 yuan airmail surcharge to Eastern Europe). As indicated by the sender, the letter was routed northward through Peking for onward air transmission, showing clear Shanghai dispatch and routing marks. The second, a postcard from Peking to Warsaw, Poland, dated 7 March 1951, is prepaid 8,000 yuan (1,500 yuan international postcard rate plus 6,500 yuan airmail surcharge to Eastern Europe), with “Peking 51.3.7” cds and “航空 / Par Avion” label. Both items were carried by air from Peking via Moscow and Prague to their respective destinations. These two examples represent standard East European airmail correspondence during the early PRC postal period, when the unified Old RMB postal system was firmly established. Correctly rated and neatly franked, they reflect both accurate rate application and smooth postal cooperation between China and Eastern Bloc countries in the early 1950s.